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Assorted Pictures of a Great Diplomat

A Pictorial Tribute to Ambassador Mallas Michael Andom

Background and Introduction

In the 1990s, I was given a box by my late mother, Mrs. Takouhy Mallas Andom (née Basmadjian). Inside the box was a collection of black-and-white photographs documenting my father, His Excellency Ambassador Mallas Michael Andom, during his diplomatic career.

The photographs capture moments from the most active years of his service as an ambassador for the Imperial Ethiopian Government under Emperor Haile Selassie, primarily during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Most of the images were taken in Sudan and Egypt – two countries where he served as Ethiopia’s ambassador. He began his diplomatic career in the early 1950s as chargé d’affaires in India and later served as ambassador in Sudan. After Sudan, Ambassador Mallas took over Egypt in the 60ìes. Ambassador of imperial Ethiopian government to Lebanon, as well as with the OAU (Organization of African Unity), which later became the African Union (AU).

Now, 2025, at the age of 68, I have come to understand the importance of preserving and sharing this legacy. With the help of handwritten notes found on the back of these photographs (describing time and occasion of these photos), I have decided to create this website — a visual archive that offers a glimpse into the life of an Eritrean Sudanese-born diplomat who represented Ethiopia on the international stage.

As the youngest member of the family, I grew up living with my father at the Ethiopian embassies in both Khartoum and Cairo during the late 60s and 70s. Many of my fondest memories are from that period, and I have also as a very big help some added personal notes to many of the photos on this website.

The Ambassador’s Family

Mallas Michael Andom was born in 1914 in Khartoum, Sudan. He was the eldest son of Afendi Michael Andom and his wife Ghidey Reda, both originally from the village of Tseazega, located just outside Asmara in Eritrea — a place historically belonging to the Hamassien region. The title “Afendi,” a mark of respect equivalent to the English “Sir,” was granted to my grandfather Michael Andom.

Afendi Michael Andom and wife had four children:

• Mallas Michael Andom (Ambassador, b. July 21 1914)
• Ato Johannes Michael Andom (Author, b. 1918)
• Weizero Tsion Michael Andom (b. 1922)
• Lieutenant General Aman Michael Andom (b. 1924)

I will already now (into the intro) mention one of  the next generation of the Andoms namely Ambassador Mallas Michael Andom four children:

• Hanna Mallas Andom (†)
• Azeb Mallas Andom (†)
• Salamawit Mallas Andom, living in the USA
• Amanuel Mallas Andom (myself), living in Sweden

A Historical Legacy

Our family’s roots can be traced back many generations. Here is our lineage:

I, Amanuel Mallas M. Andom, I am the son of
→ Ambassador Mallas Michael Andom, who is the son of
→ Afendi Michael Andom, son of
→ Andom, son of
→ Hailay, son of
→ Zeru, son of
→ Fukroy, son of
→ Andit, son of
→ Beimnet, son of
→ Kentiba Ghebrechristos, lastly the son of
→ Samson

All of the above mentioned ancestors are born and therefore all are origins of the village of Tseazega in the (old regional division)  Hamassien Region, part of Zoba Berik, in Eritrea.

From Colonial Rule in Eritrea to Flight to Sudan and the Rise of a High-Class Diplomat

Benito Mussolinis had inherited the Italian colony of Eritrea, which had been established during the European “Scramble for Africa” in the 1890s.  After Il Duce declared (in East Africa) the birth of the Italian Empire in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (expanded with regions from northern Ethiopia) and Italian Somaliland were merged with the newly conquered Ethiopia into the new administrative territory of Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana).

The consequences of this policy led to:

         1. Not all Eritreans supported Italy; there was some resistance, though often limited and        suppressed due to the harshness of fascist Italian rule.

          2. Therefore a number of Eritreans fled to Sudan, or Egypt, or Ethiopia and began forming the nucleus of later anti-Colonial and independence movements.

According to older family members, a brother of Afendi Michael Andom became involved in a serious conflict with an Italian officer. This incident forced the Andom family to flee to neighboring country, Sudan. They settled in Khartoum the Capital city, where a new chapter in our/the Andoms family’s history began.

Mallas was born in Sudan, as were his siblings. He began his primary education within the Anglo-Egyptian school system, which was the dominant educational structure in the region at the time. Later, he pursued his secondary and higher studies in Tanta, Egypt—a choice that proved both timely and pivotal for his future.

After completing his studies and spending some time in Khartoum, Mallas made the decisive choice to travel back to his homeland, Eritrea, and to the city of Asmara in hopes of finding an employment. His desire to leave Khartoum and Sudan stemmed from the fact that, at the time, it was very difficult for Eritreans to find work in Khartoum due to structural limitations. Fortunately, he managed to secure a position within the judiciary in Asmara, which was still under Italian administration. There, he not only worked diligently but also learned the Italian language, which would prove very useful later in his career.

Following Italy’s defeat in World War II (Mallas was then just over 27 years old), Eritrea became a British protectorate in 1941. But in 1952, the United Nations decided that Eritrea would enter into a federation with Emperor Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia. But in 1962, ten years after the federation was formed, Emperor Haile Selassie unilaterally annexed Eritrea, triggering the Eritrean struggle for independence. The Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) was established, and a thirty-year conflict began, ultimately leading to Eritrea’s independence in 1993. Unfortunately, as of 2025, Eritrea is still not considered a free country—it is effectively a one-party state with a very weak judicial system and a complete absence of free elections.

In the aftermath of WWII, note that, during the British and UN administration of the land Eritrea and amid discussions with Emperor Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia, Mallas made a crucial decision. He moved to Addis Ababa. He dedicated himself also to learning Amharic, Ethiopia’s official language. At the time, Ethiopia also had relatively very few educated Ethiopian adults, and Mallas saw this as an important opportunity at the time ”to climb up in his career step”. 

With his academic merits and some fortune, Mallas succeeded to secure a job at the Imperial State Department (Ministry of foreign affairs). Mastering and being fluent in English, Tigrinya, Ge’ez, Amharic, Italian, and Arabic, Mallas impressed many, including his majesty the Emperor Haile Selassie himself. Despite being 35 or 36 years of age, and actually lacking formal political science education/international affairs. So his intelligence, multilingualism, personality and dedication earned him an exceptional appointment namely: To be a Minister. Which department? The Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the Imperial Ethiopian government. 

However, Mallas had at this time a chronic illness called ”persistent high blood pressure”, a type of blood pressure which is hereditary and which became a serious concern. The altitude of the capital Addis Ababa — which is situated high above sea level — made it also difficult for him to maintain his health while continuing his demanding work (very short period some years after the end of WWII. After serious thinking and discussions with the emperor, Mallas asked the emperor to be appointed as his majesty’s ambassador in countries nearby Ethiopia. 

Firstly before discussing my father’s first diplomatic assignment and so on, I would like to briefly outline the condition of the African continent in the 1950s.

The most significant and encouraging development during this period was the beginning of widespread African liberation from colonial rule. After centuries of domination by European powers, the 1950s marked a pivotal decade in which many African nations began to assert their right to self-determination and independence.

At the end of World War II,1945, only three African countries were independent:

1. Liberia – Established in 1847 as a settlement for freed African-American slaves, Liberia was never colonized in the conventional sense and maintained its sovereignty throughout the colonial era.
2. Ethiopia – A historically rich and ancient nation in Eastern Africa, Ethiopia successfully resisted European colonization, with the exception of a brief Italian occupation in the 1930s. It remained a symbol of African resilience and independence.
3. Egypt – Gained formal independence from British rule in 1922, though full sovereignty was only achieved gradually over the subsequent decades until 1952.

The wave of decolonization began to gather momentum in the 1950s. As some exampels

• Libya became independent in 1951.
• Sudan, Morocco, and Tunisia followed in 1956.

Simultaneously, Pan-Africanism was gaining strength, particularly in diaspora communities in Europe. Like in Manchester for example, England, for example, Pan-African conferences brought together visionary leaders who would later lead their nations to independence. Key figures emerging from this movement included:

• Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana)
• Obafemi Awolowo (Nigeria)
• Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya)
• Julius Nyerere (Tanzania)
• in France and from the Senegal there was a Mr Leopold Senghor who later after his study completions, returned to Senegal to become Senegal’s first president since 1960 until 1980

These leaders and others became the torchbearers of African liberation, shaping the continent’s political landscape for decades to come.

Ambassador Mallas first Diplomatic Assignment: India

After stepping down as Foreign Minister for health reasons, Mallas Andom—at the behest of Emperor Haile Selassie—was appointed Chargé d’Affaires of Ethiopia to the republic of India. This assignment came shortly after India gained its independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947.

At the time, India was undergoing a transformative period of national reconstruction and identity-building. Mallas arrived in a nation marked by strong leadership, bold political visions, and deep philosophical reflection. It was a historic moment—especially considering the remarkable leaders he encountered during his diplomatic posting in New Delhi.

During this period, Mallas personally met with some of the most influential figures of the 20th century:

1. Mahatma Gandhi – the spiritual leader of India’s nonviolent independence movement. His philosophy of truth, peace, and civil disobedience inspired many worldwide, including African liberation movements.
2. Dr. Rajendra Prasad – the first post colonial President of the Republic of India, noted for his integrity, academic credentials, and leadership during India’s early years of independence.
3. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – the first Prime Minister of independent India and father of future India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv. Nehru was a central figure in the emerging
4. Of  Non-Aligned Movement, (The NAM), and an important interlocutor, even an intelligent discussing partner for leaders in the Global South. To explain, NAM is an international organization of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. NAM was founded in 1961 in Belgrade and currently has 121 member states, representing about 60% of the United Nations membership. Most important political figures to remember in the history of NAM were the following: President Josip Broz Tito of  former Yugoslavia, India’s prime minister Mr jawaharlal Nehru, President of Ghana Mr Kwame Nkrumah, the president of Indonesia Mr Sukarno and the president of the united Arab Republic Mr Gamal Abdel Nasser. The NAM’s goals included promoting the interests of developing countries, supporting national independence and sovereignty, and opposing external interference in the affairs of member states. Most impact the NAM had politically was in the 50s and the 60s. 

So Mallas’s diplomatic role in India actually went far beyond formal protocol. He participated in intellectual discussions, intercultural forums, and diplomatic meetings that helped through his influence on the emperor shape modern day Ethiopia and Ethiopia’s relations with India and Africa as a continent undergoing decolonisation in the postwar world. It was also in this environment that his vision of Pan-African collaboration deepened, as he saw clear parallels between India’s independence struggle and Africa’s ongoing liberation.

Back to Africa: Ambassador to Sudan

Mallas Andoms second diplomatic posting brought him back to Sudan in late 1956. The country where he was born and raised. This appointment was not only symbolically meaningful but also strategically important for Ethiopia, which at the time was working to strengthen relations with neighboring countries particularly Egypt because of the interconnection between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia and the great Blue Nile.

Sudan had recently achieved independence in earlier 1956, following decades of Anglo-Egyptian rule, and was undergoing a delicate political transition. Mallas was eminently suited to the role: he spoke fluent Arabic and English as examples, he had a profound understanding of Sudanese culture and history, and maintained strong personal ties to the country. These attributes enabled him to build trust, forge diplomatic bridges, and establish mutually beneficial relations between the two nations. Besides given his Eritrean background and his naturally born ability to “blend easily in the Sudanese fiber” as one source puts it.

As ambassador, Mallas focused on:

• Strengthening trade relations
• Coordinating regional security
• Promoting cooperation in education and culture
• To keep a diplomatic watchful eye on the blue Nile because of the concerns and aggressive behavior shown by the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser visa vi the emperor Haile Sellasi and Ethiopia? See below a letter written by his excellency ambassador Mallas andom to President nasser in 1957

His initiatives—including several programs in the agricultural sector—laid the groundwork for long-term collaboration, bolstering his reputation as a skilled and respected diplomat. During this period, Emperor Haile Selassie also made several state visits to Sudan.

Despite the progress achieved, Mallas harbored concerns about Sudan’s future, as the country underwent multiple changes of government. Fortunately, these governmental transitions one to another had occurred peacefully, without widespread bloodshed which is sadly to say very common when an old government toppels and new ones takes its place instead.

Pan-African Cooperation: OAU and the Nile Question while still stationed in Sudan

“During the 1950s and 1960s, the relationship between Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was complex, characterized by both cooperation and underlying tensions.”

For example:  

Despite differing political systems—Nasser’s republicanism and Emperor Selassie’s monarchy—the two leaders maintained a cordial relationship. Haile Selassie visited Cairo in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1966, and 1969, and that is relatively a lot of times, receiving always warm receptions and engaging in discussions on African unity and cooperation. They were instrumental in founding the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, with Addis Ababa chosen as its headquarters, symbolizing Ethiopia’s central role in Pan-Africanism.

Strategic and Ideological differences

Despite their collaboration, strategic and ideological differences persisted. Haile Selassie was cautious of Nasser’s pan-Arab and pan-Islamic rhetoric, which he perceived as a threat to Ethiopia’s sovereignty and its Christian identity. Ethiopia’s alignment with the West, exemplified by its military agreement with the United States in 1953, contrasted with Nasser’s Arab nationalist and anti-Western stance. Moreover, Nasser’s support for African liberation movements sometimes put him at odds with Selassie, who was wary of radical ideologies that could destabilize his regime. For instance, Nasser’s backing of insurgent groups in regions like Eritrea was a point of contention

Ambassador Mallas Andom was also active within the Organization of African Unity (OAU)—later reconstituted as the African Union (AU), founded by president Nasser and Emperor Haile Selassie.  Even before his later posting in Egypt, and the Republic of Lebanon he was heavily involved in regional diplomacy (Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia), particularly during his time in Khartoum.

One key example of his diplomatic work was his role as Ethiopia’s emissary on Nile River water resources. In December 1956, Emperor Haile Selassie instructed him, as Ambassador in Sudan, to formulate a letter and to raise with President Gamal Abdel Nasser Egypt’s proposal for a “Nile Valley unity commission”.  In that meeting, Ambassador Mallas made it clear To President Nasser) that Ethiopia:

• Did not consider itself part of the Arab world
• Would not accept Egyptian interference in its internal affairs
• While both countries drew from the Nile, Ethiopia prioritized its own interests

This dialogue represented a turning point in Ethiopia’s foreign policy under Addis Ababa—moving away from pan-Arab alignment and asserting national sovereignty. In a November 12, 1957 speech, Emperor Haile Selassie emphasized the critical importance of utilizing Nile water resources for present and future Ethiopian generations. He stated that Ethiopia was willing to share water resources with amicable neighbors, but that it was Ethiopia’s “primary and sacred duty” to develop its water resources in line with its population growth and economic expansion.

And now to the letter Ambassador Mallas was instructed by the emperor to deliver to President Gamal Abdel Nasser

“Ambassador Mallas Andom to President Nasser:

Ambassador’s Letter to President Nasser, 1957

His Excellency
Gamal Abdel Nasser
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Dear Mr. President,

I write on behalf of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie, to convey Ethiopia’s established position regarding the ongoing discussions on the Nile’s water resources and the recently proposed concept of a Nile Valley unity.

Ethiopia recognizes the importance of the Nile as a lifeline for the region and its peoples. However, we must firmly reiterate our sovereign right and duty to utilize our water resources for the benefit of the present and future generations of Ethiopians. It is therefore essential that any agreements or decisions regarding the management of the river be based on equality, respect for sovereignty, and consultation among all riparian nations.

We also wish to make it unequivocally clear that Ethiopia does not consider itself part of the Arab world and cannot accept any interference by Egypt in our internal affairs, nor any decisions made without Ethiopia’s full participation.

We hope to continue this dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, so that together we may ensure the Nile’s future for all who depend on it.

With highest consideration,
Mallas Andom
Ambassador of the Empire of Ethiopia to Sudan”

These events marked a turning point in Ethiopia’s diplomatic relations with Egypt, where previous cooperation was replaced by a more independent and territorially focused stance.

Next Challenging Assignment: Ambassador to Egypt

After many years of successful service in Sudan, Mallas was appointed by Emperor Haile Selassie as Ethiopia’s ambassador to Egypt—one of the most influential and symbolically important countries in both the Arab world and the African continent. The posting in Cairo was not only prestigious but also strategically critical during a period when both Ethiopia and Egypt played central roles in Africa’s independence movements and Cold War geopolitics.

At the time, Egypt was led by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, a strong advocate of both Pan-Arabism and Pan-Africanism. His government pursued an active foreign policy and positioned Egypt as a voice for the so-called “Third World”—nations that stood outside both the Western and Eastern blocs. The country took part in two wars against Israel—the first in 1967, and the second in 1973 under President Anwar al-Sadat. The nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956 was seen as a heroic act and greatly enhanced Nasser’s prestige throughout the postcolonial world. All of this contributed to Egypt becoming a central diplomatic player and a significant post for any ambassador.

Mallas, himself shaped by the Pan-African movement, adapted well to this dynamic environment. He already spoke Arabic and had strong familiarity with Egyptian culture thanks to his earlier education in the city of Tanta. This background gave him a considerable advantage in diplomatic communication, where both formal negotiation and cultural understanding played important roles.

During his time in Cairo:

• He participated in several high-profile meetings between African leaders, including conferences that discussed the continent’s future unity and cooperation.
• He worked actively to promote peaceful dialogue between Egypt and Ethiopia on the sensitive and strategically vital issue of the Nile’s waters.
• He deepened cooperation in the field of education, including facilitating scholarships for Ethiopian students at Egyptian universities.
• He contributed to cultural exchange between Cairo and Addis Ababa, resulting in joint artistic and academic projects.

An African Diplomat with a Broader Mission

Mallas’s ambassadorship in Egypt not only strengthened the relationship between Ethiopia and Egypt but also reinforced ties between Ethiopia and the broader Arab-African region. He came to be seen as a key figure in Ethiopia’s diplomatic network—not only thanks to his language skills and cultural competence but also for his ability to inspire trust and earn respect in international contexts.

Due to his linguistic abilities and deep regional insight, he also accompanied Emperor Haile Selassie on several official state visits to the Arab world—including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.